Extended Support for New Build Snagging Clients

Buying a new home is stressful enough. Spotting defects is only half the battle — getting your builder to actually fix them can be the bigger challenge.

That’s why every snagging inspection I carry out includes guidance on how to start the conversation with your builder. For many homeowners, this is all that’s needed.

But everyone’s situation is different. Some people are comfortable chasing and liaising with their builder until the issues are resolved. Others feel less confident, or sometimes find themselves in a position of stalemate where progress grinds to a halt. In those cases, having structured additional support can make all the difference.

“For over eight years I’ve been uncovering defects in works that builders and contractors had already signed off under self-certification. Time and again I’ve found issues missed - sometimes serious ones. What matters is knowing how to frame those findings in a way that makes the responsible professionals put them right. That’s exactly the experience I bring to my snagging inspections and extended support.

Included Guidance (Always Provided)

• Pointers on how to open dialogue with your builder effectively

• Templates to help you keep everything in writing (avoiding “he said, she said”)

• Initial advice on prioritising issues, so you know where to focus first

When More Is Required

• Reviewing and advising on builder replies

• Helping you frame further letters and emails so they’re professional, fact-based, and hard to

dismiss

• Guidance on when to escalate to warranty providers, Building Control or the Ombudsman

• Steering you away from dead ends or distractions that waste time

Common Builder Tactics to Watch Out For

Most builders respond to snagging reports in a professional way: they acknowledge the issues, schedule remedial works, and aim to close things out fairly quickly.

However, not every builder handles things this way. Some use strategies that can confuse or discourage homeowners. I’ve seen them all, including:

  • Downplaying issues as “cosmetic” to avoid responsibility

  • Blaming condensation or lifestyle rather than build quality

  • Delaying responses so momentum is lost

  • Cherry-picking fixes and ignoring the serious ones

  • Using technical jargon to make the buyer doubt themselves

  • Citing warranty small-print incorrectly to shut the conversation down

How Homeowners Can Get Caught Out

Without meaning to, many buyers fall into traps such as:

  • Accepting verbal promises instead of written commitments

  • Letting deadlines drift

  • Reacting emotionally in emails, which weakens their position

  • Being drawn into side arguments instead of sticking to clear defects

  • Assuming the builder’s “final word” really is final

Why Extended Support Matters

By knowing the tactics, and with my help to keep communication clear, technical, and defensible, you stand a far stronger chance of getting your issues resolved —-without unnecessary stress.

That’s why I offer structured extended support: to give homeowners the confidence and strategy they need to hold builders accountable.